Meal planning/prep helps, and buying things in bulk of course. Potatoes, rice, pasta, soup broth, tomato sauce, frozen veggies - anything that can be “stretched” to make multiple meals.
There are a few certain dishes I can’t get close to in deliciousness no matter how much I try - especially butter chicken, compared to the local Indian place, it’s no contest! Unfortunately that’s a $30 meal with garlic naan (which is mandatory)!